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It’s expected to be a hot box at many ballparks Thomas Morstead Jersey , with game-time temperatures likely to climb over 100 degrees in Texas for White Sox-Rangers, near triple digits in Baltimore, Philadelphia and Yankee Stadium, and into the mid-90s in Chicago and Cincinnati. On Saturday, three Twins left early with heat illness at Wrigley Field.

”Drink more water, try to stay by the fan. I try to keep a towel by my side and make sure I catch my breath,” White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson said. ”It’s a mind thing. You can’t think too much about it. If you do, it’ll eat you up.”

”These guys will be hydrating tonight and I know Deck McGuire, the starter, was hydrating all day just in anticipation of the heat,” he said.

Said Orioles skipper Buck Showalter: ”There’s a big bulletin board the guys see every day reminding them of the things they need to do to hydrate properly. … We’re taking a lot of precautions.”

RIVALRY NIGHT

The Red Sox and Yankees play in prime time, with stars David Price (9-5, 3.66 ERA) and Luis Severino (12-2, 2.10) on the mound. New York entered Saturday a major league-best 19-5 against left-handed starting pitchers, and its .820 OPS against lefties was best in the majors. The left-handed Price has been tough lately Ahkello Witherspoon Jersey , though, going 7-1 with a 2.72 ERA in nine starts since being diagnosed with a mild case of carpal tunnel syndrome that caused him to miss a scheduled turn against the Yankees in early May.

POWER PITCHER

The biggest bat off Cincinnati’s bench might be in the bullpen. No, really. Reds reliever Michael Lorenzen has homered in three straight at-bats after connecting for a pinch-hit grand slam Saturday in a 12-3 victory over Milwaukee. He also went deep Friday during Milwaukee’s 8-2 win. ”We treat him as a position player. We covered him in scouting meetings. We’re going to have to make some adjustments,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said. The last major league pitcher to homer in three consecutive at-bats was Colorado’s Mike Hampton in 2001. For the season, Lorenzen is 4 for 6 with three homers and six RBIs. His fifth career homer was the second grand slam by a Reds pitcher in a week – starter Anthony DeSclafani also hit one against the Chicago Cubs.

STINGY STUFF

The surging Rays (41-41) send left-hander Blake Snell (10-4, 2.31 ERA) to the mound against Charlie Morton (10-1, 2.54) and the World Series champion Astros in the finale of a four-game series. Snell didn’t give up a hit until the seventh inning of an 11-0 win over Washington on Monday night. Tampa Bay has limited opponents to two runs or fewer in five straight games, and seven out of eight during a tough stretch against the Yankees, Nationals and Astros. Morton has won three straight starts and hasn’t permitted an earned run in his last two. Houston first baseman Yuli Gurriel (paternity leave) is expected back in the lineup.

CANADIAN CURRENCY

Blue Jays left-hander J.A. Happ (10-3, 3.62 ERA) faces the skidding Tigers on Canada Day in Toronto. An expected trade target as the July 31 deadline approaches, Happ has won six straight decisions and is unbeaten in eight outings. Detroit has lost 11 games in a row overall – and 12 of 14 in Toronto. Meanwhile, the Blue Jays have won 10 of 11 at home.

BAY AREA BOOM

Jed Lowie and the Oakland Athletics (46-38) try for their seventh straight victory when they host AL Central-leading Cleveland. The surprising A’s have won 12 of 14 overall. They’ve also taken seven in a row against Cleveland, and nine of the last 10 meetings in Oakland.

SUMMER WINS

Chicago Cubs left-hander Jon Lester (10-2, 2.18 ERA) hopes to start a new month the same way he ended the last one. After going 5-0 with a 1.13 ERA in five June starts, Lester pitches against Lance Lynn (5-6 Jerome Baker Jersey , 4.81) and the Minnesota Twins in the finale of the three-game interleague series.

WESTWARD NO

The Baltimore Orioles are 0-15 against AL West opponents this year after losing to the Angels 6-2 on Saturday. The O’s have dropped seven in a row overall, 17 of 18 at Camden Yards and own the worst record in the majors at 23-59. They’ll try again when Kevin Gausman (3-6, 4.20 ERA) pitches at home against Los Angeles righty Deck McGuire, who makes his third major league start. Gausman has lost his last four decisions and hasn’t completed seven innings in any of his past eight starts.

The defense was called for offsides to give Rodgers a free play during a two-minute drill in practice Thursday. The play was going left. Rodgers was looking left. But he threw the ball to his right.

Touchdown, Geronimo Allison.

The play looks even better on film to coach Mike McCarthy.

”I think you appreciate it more when you watch the video. I know I did, because he spoils you,” McCarthy said Friday. ”You don’t have too many practices around here where he doesn’t make that throw where you’re just like, `OK, file that onto the library. That’s the way you want to teach it.”’

Packers fans who dared to worry about Rodgers’ seven interceptions during the first five days of camp can breathe easy. The two-time NFL MVP likes how the offense has worked in the first week.

”Well, I’m working on things in training camp. I’m working on throws, whether it’s looking or no-looking. Trying different plays that we we’re working in,” Rodgers said.

A 7-9 finish last season ended a streak of eight straight playoff appearances for the Packers. The offense struggled while Rodgers was out with broken collarbone, and the defense had familiar problems against the pass.

McCarthy overhauled the coaching staff after the season, which included bringing back Joe Philbin as offensive coordinator. Philbin was the coordinator when the Packers won the Super Bowl in the 2010 season.

”We’ve done a medium overhaul of some offensive concepts, so working on some new stuff and trying to get on the same page with receivers Logan Paulsen Jersey ,” Rodgers added.

An added wrinkle for Rodgers is the new looks in practice from coordinator Mike Pettine’s defense. His units have finished in the top 10 in the league when he’s been in charge.

”Well, they’re just so multiple. They have a lot of different pressures and types of pressures,” Rodgers said. ”They’re giving you pressures where they can actually get home. We haven’t had that issue in a while, where they scheme pressures to have a free guy on the play.”

It gives the linemen good practice for the regular season, too, since the NFC North-rival Minnesota Vikings are among teams that run pressures similar to what the Packers’ defense is doing now.

”So the protection elements for offense are really challenged by his defense, which is great for us,” Rodgers said.

Getting Bryan Bulaga back will help too. The veteran right tackle was activated off the physically-unable-to-perform list on Friday and returned to practice on a limited basis for the first time since tearing his right ACL in Week 9 last year.

”I am very optimistic about Week 1, I really am,” Bulaga said. ”I still have some work to do to get to it but it’s definitely looking better than it did, say, four months ago, even though I thought I’d still get to that point.”

His return would solidify a right side of the line that will already have a new starter at guard. Bulaga is a steady, reliable presence up front who has played in big spots with Rodgers.

”He’s a pro’s pro. He knows how to play the game,” Rodgers said. ”Unfortunately Cameron Brate Jersey , he’s sustained a couple of tough injuries. But when he’s out there, he’s a rock.”

At its best, a starting five with Bulaga gives Rodgers just enough time to get out of trouble and outside the pocket, where the quarterback might be most dangerous.

As he showed with his no-look TD throw to Allison.

NOTES: WR Jake Kumerow, an undrafted free agent in his second year out of Division III Wisconsin-Whitewater, continues to impress with his hands and route-running ability. He could be a long shot to make the roster, especially after the Packers drafted three receivers this year. But the 6-foot-4 Kumerow has earned some reps with the first-string offense and caught Rodgers’ attention. ”So there’s going to be some tough decisions when the cutdown happens,” Rodgers said. ”We drafted three guys, so. If you’re playing today, you’d like him on the field.”